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When Bobby (they/them) and Kate (she/her) decided to get married, they skipped the traditional prep shots and went straight for the good stuff: a beachside ceremony at Colman Park with Mount Tahoma (Rainier) watching in the background. And honestly, the vibe was pure queer magic from the start.
The ceremony: Persian tradition meets chosen family
Instead of walking down separate aisles, Bobby and Kate entered together, greeted by a sea of friends that photographer Jamie Buckley described as “easily one of the queerest wedding crowds I've ever seen.”
Their officiant Rebar (they/them) led a secular ceremony that blended personal storytelling with family traditions. One of Bobby’s uncles read a poem in Arabic, followed by an English translation: a grounding moment that set the tone for the cultural fusion woven throughout the day.
And then came the showstopper: the kalleh ghand ceremony. If you’re not familiar, it’s a Persian wedding ritual where a veil is held over the couple’s heads while loved ones grind sugar cones together, literally showering sweetness onto their marriage.
As Bobby and Kate sat beneath the veil, women in their family leaned in with laughter and concentration, the grains of sugar catching in the sunlight. A thread was stitched into the veil, tying them together in yet another layer of symbolism. To seal the deal, the couple dipped their pinkies into honey and fed it to each other… a sugar high of the best possible kind.
The reception: long tables, Persian food, and a dancefloor that did not quit
From the beach, everyone walked to Mount Baker Community Club, which was transformed into a banquet hall bursting with color. Long tables were draped in blush linens and lined with lush garlands of dahlias, zinnias, and greenery. Each place card had doodles (tiny clouds, playful sketches) adding to the handmade, community-centered feeling.
Dinner was a Persian feast catered by Bella Balducci’s, and let’s just say… the photos make you want to reach through the screen with a fork. Plates of kabobs, khoresh, saffron rice, and fresh salads were set family-style, and the room filled with the smells of herbs, citrus, and grilled meat.
Guests clinked glasses as Bobby’s dad and Kate’s dad gave toasts, followed by a friend leading everyone in a call-and-response wine chant (yes, a wine chant… because why the hell not?).
The cake? A single-tier beauty with caramel-colored frosting, topped with fresh buds that looked plucked straight from the garden. Elegant, unfussy, and quietly gobsmacking.
The dancefloor: underground club energy, Persian heat
This is where things really got wild. Bobby, who organizes a music festival every year, pulled from their deep DJ and musician Rolodex to create a lineup of sets that kept the dancefloor at max capacity all night. The first 30 minutes? A playlist of Persian bangers curated by Bobby themself. Family members threw down so hard that Bobby’s uncle (the same one who had read poetry earlier) ended the set literally drenched in sweat, still grinning ear to ear.
From there, the energy shifted into what can only be described as a queer underground club transported into a community center. Multiple DJs cycled through, each layering their own spin, keeping bodies moving and spirits high until late into the night. Bobby and Kate had said what they were most excited about was “dancing all night,” and they delivered on that promise.
Love story: from Seattle’s music scene to forever
The roots of their love go back eight years, when Bobby and Kate first met through the Seattle music scene. For a while they were just friends, orbiting each other in the way you do when you share a scene… until eventually the pull became too strong to ignore. In 2023, after another one of Bobby’s festival weekends wrapped, Kate proposed, and the rest is this joy-drenched history.
This wedding wasn’t just about blending Persian tradition with queer modernity. It was about community, chosen family, and a commitment to joy as a shared practice. From honey on pinkies to sweat on the dancefloor, Bobby and Kate created a wedding that was entirely their own… and unforgettable to everyone lucky enough to be there.
- Photography: Jamie Buckley Photography
- Catering: Bella Balducci’s @bellabalduccismonroe
- Reception venue: Mount Baker Community Club @mountbakercommunityclub
- Day-of coordination: Gia (friend) @ickyrainbow
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